Transmitter and receiver and methods of transmitting and receiving

ABSTRACT

A receiver for detecting and recovering payload data from a received signal comprises a radio frequency demodulation circuit, a detector circuit and a demodulator circuit. The radio frequency demodulation circuit detects the received signal. The received signal carries the payload data as OFDM symbols in one or more of a plurality of time divided frames, each frame including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and a plurality of sub-frames. The demodulator circuit detects bootstrap OFDM symbols to identify communications parameters for detecting the fixed length signalling data, detects the fixed length signalling data to identify the communications parameters for detecting the variable length signalling data, detects the variable length signalling data, and uses the fixed and variable length signalling data to detect the payload data.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Continuation of PCT applicationPCT/GB2016/051705 filed on 9 Jun. 2016 which claims priority to UnitedKingdom Application 1510979.6 filed on 22 Jun. 2015, the contents ofeach of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to transmitters, receivers and methods oftransmitting and receiving payload data using Orthogonal FrequencyDivision Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

There are many examples of radio communications systems in which data iscommunicated using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).Television systems which have been arranged to operate in accordancewith Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) standards for example, use OFDMfor terrestrial and cable transmissions. OFDM can be generally describedas providing K narrow band sub-carriers (where K is an integer) whichare modulated in parallel, each sub-carrier communicating a modulateddata symbol such as for example Quadrature Amplitude Modulated (QAM)symbol or Quaternary Phase-shift Keying (QPSK) symbol. The modulation ofthe sub-carriers is formed in the frequency domain and transformed intothe time domain for transmission. Since the data symbols arecommunicated in parallel on the sub-carriers, the same modulated symbolsmay be communicated on each sub-carrier for an extended period. Thesub-carriers are modulated in parallel contemporaneously, so that incombination the modulated carriers form an OFDM symbol. The OFDM symboltherefore comprises a plurality of sub-carriers each of which has beenmodulated contemporaneously with different modulation symbols. Duringtransmission, a guard interval filled by a cyclic prefix of the OFDMsymbol precedes each OFDM symbol. When present, the guard interval isdimensioned to absorb any echoes of the transmitted signal that mayarise from multipath propagation.

It has been proposed for a television system known as the AdvancedTelevision Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 in a publication entitled ATSC3.0 Working Draft System Discovery and Signaling [1] to include apre-amble in a transmitted television signal which is carrying broadcastdigital television programs. The preamble includes a so called “bootsstrap” signal which is intended to provide a receiver with a part of thetransmitted signal which it can have a greater likelihood of detectingand therefore can serve as a signal for initial detection. This isbecause broadcasters anticipate providing multiple services, within abroadcast signal in addition to just broadcast television. Such servicesmay be time-multiplexed together within a single RF channel. There istherefore a need to provide an easily detectable signal segment (thebootstrap signal) that is transmitted as part of a pre-amble tomultiplexed frames, so that a receiver can discover and identify whatsignals and services are available.

It has been proposed [1] to make the bootstrap signal have a fixedconfiguration, including sampling rate, signal bandwidth, subcarrierspacing, time-domain structure etc. known to all receiver devices and tocarry information to enable processing and decoding the wireless serviceassociated with a detected bootstrap. This new capability ensures thatbroadcast spectrum can be adapted to carry new services and/or waveformsthat are preceded by a universal entry point provided by the bootstrapfor public interest to continue to be served in the future.

The bootstrap has been designed to be a very robust signal anddetectable even at very low signal to noise ratio levels. As a result ofthis robust encoding, individual signalling bits within the bootstrapare comparatively expensive in terms of the physical resources that theyoccupy for transmission. Hence, the bootstrap is generally intended tosignal only the minimum amount of information required for systemdiscovery and for initial decoding of the following signal. However inorder to detect payload data transmitted as OFDM symbols it is necessaryto communicate layer 1 (L1) signalling data indicating communicationsparameters which have been used to carry the payload data as OFDMsymbols.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Various further aspects and embodiments of the disclosure are providedin the appended claims, including a transmitter, a receiver fordetecting payload data from a received signal and methods oftransmitting and receiving. According to the present technique there isprovided a transmitter for transmitting payload data using OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols comprising a framebuilder, a modulator and a transmission circuit. The frame builder isconfigured to receive the payload data to be transmitted and to receiveLayer 1 (L1) signalling data for use in detecting and recovering thepayload data at a receiver, and to form the payload data with thesignalling data into a plurality of time divided frames fortransmission, each of the time divided frames including a bootstrapsignal, a preamble signal and a plurality of sub-frames. The modulatoris configured to modulate one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble withthe signalling data and to modulate a plurality of OFDM symbols with thepayload data for transmission in each of the sub-frames. Thetransmission circuit transmits the OFDM symbols carrying the signallingdata of the preamble and the payload data in the plurality ofsub-frames. The preamble signal forms a start of each frame andcomprises one or more OFDM symbols carrying the L1 signalling data, afirst of the one or more OFDM symbols carrying a fixed length part ofthe L1 signalling data of a predetermined size, the fixed length L1signalling data indicating communications parameters for detecting avariable length part of the L1 signalling data carried in the remainingone or more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal, and the bootstrapsignal comprises one or more OFDM symbols carrying an indication ofcommunications parameters for detecting the fixed length L1 signallingdata carried by the first of the one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble signal. Embodiments of the present technique provide animprovement in detecting and recovering payload data from a transmittedsignal representing the payload data as OFDM symbols by forming aprogressively more robust communication of signals comprising a preamblefor carrying the signalling data of a variable length, signalling dataof a fixed length and a bootstrap signal, which carries an indication ofthe fixed length signalling data of the preamble. The bootstrap signalcan be arranged to be most robustly communicated, followed by the fixedlength L1 signalling data of the first OFDM symbol of the preamble andthen the variable length L1 signalling data. As such a receiver is mostlikely to detect the bootstrap signal, then the first OFDM symbol of thepreamble followed by the remaining OFDM symbols of the preamble signal.

Various further aspects and features of the present disclosure aredefined in the appended claims, which include a method of transmittingpayload data, a receiver and a method of detecting and recoveringpayload data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described by way ofexample only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which likeparts are provided with corresponding reference numerals and in which

FIG. 1 provides a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement of abroadcast transmission network;

FIG. 2 provides a schematic block diagram illustrating an exampletransmission chain for transmitting broadcast data via the transmissionnetwork of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 provides a schematic illustration of OFDM symbols in the timedomain which include a guard interval;

FIG. 4 provides a schematic block of a typical receiver for receivingdata broadcast by the broadcast transmission network of FIG. 1 usingOFDM;

FIG. 5 provides a schematic block diagram illustrating a framingstructure of a television transmission system such as ATSC3.0 includinga sub frame structure;

FIG. 6 provides a more detailed representation of one of the frames ofthe television signal shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a plurality of OFDM symbolswhich form part of a preamble symbol which is shown in FIG. 6, and

FIG. 8a is a schematic representation of a plurality of OFDM symbolsillustrating scattered pilot subcarriers and FIG. 8b is a schematicrepresentation of an OFDM symbol of a preamble carrying all of thescattered pilot subcarriers in the same OFDM symbol.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present disclosure can be arranged to form atransmission network for transmitting signals representing dataincluding video data and audio data so that the transmission networkcan, for example, form a broadcast network for transmitting televisionsignals to television receiving devices. In some examples the devicesfor receiving the audio/video of the television signals may be mobiledevices in which the television signals are received while on the move.In other examples the audio/video data may be received by conventionaltelevision receivers which may be stationary and may be connected to afixed antenna or antennas.

Television receivers may or may not include an integrated display fortelevision images and may be recorder devices including multiple tunersand demodulators. The antenna(s) may be inbuilt to television receiverdevices. The connected or inbuilt antenna(s) may be used to facilitatereception of different signals as well as television signals.Embodiments of the present disclosure are therefore configured tofacilitate the reception of audio/video data representing televisionprograms to different types of devices in different environments.

As will be appreciated, receiving television signals with a mobiledevice while on the move may be more difficult because radio receptionconditions will be considerably different to those of a conventionaltelevision receiver whose input comes from a fixed antenna.

An example illustration of a television broadcast system is shown inFIG. 1. In FIG. 1 broadcast television base stations 1 are shown to beconnected to a broadcast transmitter 2. The broadcast transmitter 2transmits signals from base stations 1 within a coverage area providedby the broadcast network. The television broadcast network shown in FIG.1 may operate as a so called multi-frequency network where eachtelevision broadcast base stations 1 transmits its signal on a differentfrequency than other neighbouring television broadcast base stations 1.The television broadcast network shown in FIG. 1 may also operate as aso called single frequency network in which each of the televisionbroadcast base stations 1 transmit the radio signals conveyingaudio/video data contemporaneously so that these can be received bytelevision receivers 4 as well as mobile devices 6 within a coveragearea provided by the broadcast network. For the example shown in FIG. 1the signals transmitted by the broadcast base stations 1 are transmittedusing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) which canprovide an arrangement for transmitting the same signals from each ofthe broadcast stations 2 which can be combined by a television receivereven if these signals are transmitted from different base stations 1.Provided a spacing of the broadcast base stations 1 is such that thepropagation time between the signals transmitted by different broadcastbase stations 1 is less than or does not substantially exceed a guardinterval that precedes the transmission of each of the OFDM symbols thena receiver device 4, 6 can receive the OFDM symbols and recover datafrom the OFDM symbols in a way which combines the signals transmittedfrom the different broadcast base stations 1. Examples of standards forbroadcast networks that employ OFDM in this way include DVB-T, DVB-T2and ISDB-T.

An example block diagram of a transmitter forming part of the televisionbroadcast base stations 1 for transmitting data from audio/video sourcesis shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2 audio/video sources 20 generate theaudio/video data representing television programmes. The audio/videodata is encoded using forward error correction encoding by anencoding/interleaver block 22 which generates forward error correctionencoded data which is then fed to a modulation unit 24 which maps theencoded data onto modulation symbols which are used to modulate OFDMsymbols. Depicted on a separate lower arm, signalling data providingphysical layer signalling for indicating for example the format ofcoding and modulation of the audio/video data is generated by a physicallayer signalling unit 30 and after being encoded by an encoding unit 32,the physical layer signalling data is then modulated by a modulationunit 24 as with the audio/video data.

A frame builder 26 is arranged to form the data to be transmitted withthe physical layer signalling data into a frame for transmission. Theframe includes a time divided section having a preamble in which thephysical layer signalling is transmitted and one or more datatransmission sections which transmit the audio/video data generated bythe audio/video sources 20. An interleaver 34 may interleave the datawhich is formed into symbols for transmission before being modulated byan OFDM symbol builder 36 and an OFDM modulator 38. The OFDM symbolbuilder 36 receives pilot signals which are generated by a pilot andembedded data generator 40 and fed to the OFDM symbol builder 36 fortransmission. An output of the OFDM modulator 38 is passed to a guardinsertion unit 42 which inserts a guard interval and the resultingsignal is fed to a digital to analogue convertor 44 and then to an RFfront end 46 before being transmitted by an antenna 48.

As with a conventional arrangement OFDM is arranged to generate symbolsin the frequency domain in which data symbols to be transmitted aremapped onto sub carriers which are then converted into the time domainusing an inverse Fourier Transform which may comprise part of the OFDMmodulator 38. Thus the data to be transmitted is formed in the frequencydomain and transmitted in the time domain. As shown in FIG. 3 each timedomain symbol is generated with a useful part of duration Tu seconds anda guard interval of duration Tg seconds. The guard interval is generatedby copying a part of the useful part of the symbol with duration Tg inthe time domain, where the copied part may be from an end portion of thesymbol. By correlating the useful part of the time domain symbol withthe guard interval, a receiver can be arranged to detect the start ofthe useful part of the OFDM symbol which can be used to trigger a FastFourier Transform to convert the time domain symbol samples into thefrequency domain from which the transmitted data can then be recovered.Such a receiver is shown in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 4 a receiver antenna 50 is arranged to detect an RF signal whichis passed via a tuner 52 and converted into a digital signal using ananalogue to digital converter 54 before the guard interval is removed bya guard interval removal unit 56. After detecting the optimum positionfor performing a fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to convert the time domainsamples into the frequency domain, an FFT unit 58 transforms the timedomain samples to form the frequency domain samples which are fed to achannel estimation and correction unit 60. The channel estimation andcorrection unit 60 estimates the transmission channel used forequalisation for example by using pilot sub-carriers which have beenembedded into the OFDM symbols. After excluding the pilot sub-carriers,all the data-bearing sub-carriers are fed to a de-interleaver 64 whichde-interleaves the sub-carrier symbols. A de-mapper unit 62 thenextracts the data bits from the sub-carriers of the OFDM symbol. Thedata bits are fed to a bit de-interleaver 66, which performs thede-interleaving so that the error correction decoder can correct errorsin accordance with a conventional operation.

Framing Structure with Preamble

FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of the framing structure for carryingpayload data in one or more physical layer pipes that may be transmittedand received in the systems described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.FIG. 5 illustrates in a first part that a frequency band allocated forthe transmission of the payload data is divided into a plurality of timeframes 100, 102, 106, 108, 110, 112. Each of the frames is then dividedinto a plurality of sub-frames 120, 122, 124. Also as shown in FIG. 5,each frame begins with a bootstrap signal 130 followed by a preamblesignal 132. As will be explained below, the bootstrap signal maycomprise one or more OFDM symbols, and the preamble may also compriseone or more OFDM symbols. Each frame includes a plurality of differentphysical layer sub-frames, 120, 122, 124 some for example, targeted formobile reception whilst others are targeted for fixed roof-top antennareception.

The framing structure shown in FIG. 5 is therefore characterised bysub-frames which may each include payload data modulated and encodedusing different parameters. This may include for example using differentOFDM symbol types having different number of sub-carriers per symbol,which may be modulated using different modulation schemes, becausedifferent sub-frames may be provided for different types of receivers.In one example a frame proposed for an ATSC system which can haveduration as long as 5 seconds. The frame may be comprised of:

-   -   1. A bootstrap composed of many short OFDM symbols carrying the        basic system access signalling in a very robust way. One of the        parameters signalled in the bootstrap is the waveform structure        of the preamble.    -   2. A preamble which is comprised of one or more OFDM symbols and        carries the physical layer (Layer 1) signalling that comprises        frame structure parameters and payload access parameters for all        the sub-frames of the frame.    -   3. The frame is comprised of one or a signalled number of        sub-frames which carry the payload that comprises the services        partitioned into PLPs. Each sub-frame is comprised of a        signalled number of OFDM symbols of a particular FFT size.        However, FFT sizes can differ between sub-frames.        Bootstrap Signal

As explained in [1], the bootstrap signal provides a universal entrypoint into an ATSC way form. The bootstrap signal is supposed to have afixed configuration in that the sampling rate, the signal bandwidth, thesub carrier spacing and time domain structure are fixed within thesignal and therefore will be known a priori at the receivers. Thebootstrap signal may comprise for example four or more OFDM symbolsbeginning with a synchronisation symbol positioned at the start of eachframe to enable service discovery, coarse time synchronisation,frequency offset estimation and initial channel estimation at thereceiver. The remaining other bootstrap OFDM symbols contain sufficientcontrol signalling to provide communications parameters to allow thereceived signal to be decoded for the remaining part of the frame. Thusthe bootstrap signal carries signalling information to enable a receiverto discover the parameters with which the L1 signalling data have beencommunicated in the preamble signal, which can then be used to detectthe communications parameters with which the data-bearing frames havebeen configured so that a receiver can detect and recover the payloaddata. More details of an example form of a bootstrap signal can be foundin [1] the content of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Preamble Structure

As the preamble occurs only once in a frame, it follows that in a framewith sub-frames of different FFT sizes, the first sub-frame should usethe smallest FFT size that occurs in the frame. This is so that if thelowest FFT sub-frame is for mobile services, then mobile receivers haveto be able to decode the preamble under mobile conditions.

The preamble can be comprised of one or more OFDM symbols of the sameFFT size as that used for the payload symbols of the first sub-frame ofthe frame. The number of OFDM symbols in the preamble of a given framecan be calculated from the length of the signalling and its modulationand coding parameters. How this can be done will be described below. Theguard interval duration used for all the preamble symbols shall be thesame and must be greater or equal to the guard interval of the payloadsymbols of the first sub-frame. Indeed, all guard interval durations forall preamble, sub-frame start or closing and payload symbols that sharea single RF channel are expected to be substantially the same as theduration is chosen by the broadcaster based on how far apart thetransmitters are spaced in the network in which that RF channel isbroadcast. In order to reduce the susceptibility of the signallingcarried in the preamble symbols to deep fades, the QAM cells that resultfrom the modulation of the signalling information it carries areinterleaved across all the preamble OFDM symbols.

The number of OFDM symbols N_(N) to be used for the preamble is decidedas follows:N _(P)=ceil(N _(L1) /N _(D))

Where N_(L1) is the number of QAM cells to be used for the L1 signallingand N_(D) is the number of data carriers per preamble OFDM symbol.Subsequent sections show how to calculate N_(L1). In one embodiment,only the first preamble symbol has the minimum number of usefulsub-carriers possible for its FFT size and there is signalling for theuseful number of sub-carriers for the other preamble symbols. Yet inanother embodiment, all the preamble symbols modulate only the minimumnumber of useful sub-carriers possible for their FFT size.

If signalling does not fill all the available data capacity of thepreamble symbols, payload cells from the first sub-frame can be carriedin the remaining cells of the preamble.

Sub-Frame Structure: Overview

As shown in FIG. 6, according to the present technique a transmitter isconfigured to transmit the payload data in each frame in accordance witha plurality of sub frames. The sub frames may be themselves separated bya start symbol and closing symbol. In one example sub frame starting andsub frame closing symbols are provided which may comprise OFDM symbolswith scattered pilot carrier spacing as for a preamble symbol in whichall of the scattered pilots phases of a predetermined pattern areincluded within the same OFDM symbol. Furthermore, each of the startingand closing framing symbols include energy balancing cells which are notloaded or modulated with QAM cells but are set to zero. This is toprovide a balancing of the average power because the preamble andsub-frame start and closing symbols have more pilots than payloadsymbols of the sub frames. Since each of the pilot bearing subcarriershas a boosted power, setting some of the subcarriers of the sub framestarting and closing symbols to zero produces a balancing of the energytransmitted within the OFDM symbol so that these have the same averagepower as payload symbols of the subframe. Sub frame starting and closingsymbols may be included when the FFT size or the pilot pattern changesbetween a preceding and a following sub frame. The last preamble symbolacts as the subframe start symbol for the first subframe.

As shown from the sub frame structure in FIG. 6, the frame is precededby a bootstrap signal followed by a preamble signal. According to thepresent technique the preamble signal forms a start of each frame andcomprises one or more OFDM symbols carrying layer one signalling datawhich is used to detect and to recover the payload data from the subframe following. A first of the one or more OFDM symbols carrying thefixed length L1 signalling data of a predetermined size indicatescommunications parameters for detecting the rest of the L1 signallingdata carried in the remaining of the one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble. The bootstrap signal 130 comprises one or more OFDM symbolscarrying an indication of the communications parameters for detectingthe fixed length L1 signalling data carried by the first of the OFDMsymbol of the preamble signal.

In one example, a number of the OFDM symbols of the preamble may bevariable, the number being indicated by the fixed length L1 signallingdata of the first of the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble orcalculated from the length of the L1 signalling data. This length issignalled in the fixed length L signalling.

In one example the fixed length L1 signalling data part may be carriedin a first part of a first OFDM symbol and a number used subcarriers ofthe first OFDM symbol may be predetermined whilst the FFT size of thefirst OFDM symbol of the preamble is indicated by the bootstrap signal.The number of used subcarriers of the OFDM symbols of the preamble otherthan the first OFDM symbol of the preamble may be variable in oneexample, the number of subcarriers being indicated in the fixed lengthL1 signalling data of the first of the OFDM symbol of the preamble.

In accordance with the present technique, each of the sub frames maycarry payload data in OFDM symbols having a different number ofsubcarriers and therefore being generated by a different FFT size. Forexample, one sub frame may have 8 k subcarriers where another of thesubframes may use OFDM symbols with 32 k subcarriers. According to thepresent technique the OFDM symbols of the preamble may have the samenumber of subcarriers as the OFDM symbols of the first sub frame. Forexample if the sub frame with the smallest number of subcarriers is 8 k,and the frame has more than one subframe, then the sub frame with 8 kFFT size shall be arranged to be the first subframe and accordingly, thepreamble symbols shall use 8 k FFT which is the same as the FFT size ofthe first subframe.

Therefore according to the present technique each sub-frame may startwith a sub-frame start symbol (SFSS) and terminate with a sub-frameclosing symbol (SFCS). SFSS and SFCS have the same FFT size as all theother payload symbols in the sub-frame concerned but have a denserboundary symbol pilot distribution. Boundary symbol pilots are spaced infrequency by the Dx sub-carriers of the corresponding scattered pilotpattern (SPP) used for the payload symbols of the sub-frame.

The use of SFSS and SFCS is governed by the following rules:

-   -   1. Sub-frames using a different FFT size or SPP to the preceding        sub-frame would start with a SFSS whose boundary symbol pilots        Dx is same as that of the SPP used in the sub-frame.    -   2. Sub-frames using a different FFT size or SPP than the        following sub-frame would terminate with a SFCS whose boundary        symbol pilots Dx is the same as that of the SPP used in the        sub-frame.    -   3. The last preamble symbol is used as the SFSS for the first        sub-frame of the frame.    -   4. The last symbol of the last sub-frame of a frame is a SFCS.        Bootstrap Preamble Signalling: Overview

The waveform structure of the preamble is signalled using apreamble_structure field of the bootstrap signalling. This field is usedto signal the following:

-   -   The FFT size of the preamble symbols    -   The Guard interval of the preamble symbols    -   The modulation and coding parameters used to carry signalling on        the preamble

Once the bootstrap is decoded, these parameters of the preamble aretherefore known.

Preamble Signalling Paradigm

The preamble carries the physical layer or L1 signalling. Thissignalling can be split into two categories:

1.1 Frame Structure Signalling

This category describes the structure of the frame and comprises suchparameters as:

-   -   Early Alert Active information    -   The number of sub-frames in the frame    -   For each sub-frame        -   Number of OFDM symbols in sub-frame        -   FFT size, GI, Pilots pattern, PAPR, use of MIMO        -   Number of useful sub-carriers per OFDM symbol        -   Frequency interleaver active flag    -   Etc.        This category of signalling has a fixed length.        1.2 Payload Access Signalling        The payload access signalling describes how the payload which is        partitioned into PLPs is carried in the sub-frames and also the        modulation, coding and interleaving parameters of each PLP. This        category of signalling tends to have variable length that        depends on the number and types of PLPs.        1.3 how the Preamble Carries Signalling        The signalling is divided into two categories as described above        with the first category designated as L1-fixed and the second as        L1-variable. L1-fixed has a fixed and known number of bits        B_(LIF) and is coded separately using the modulation M_(LIF)        (which is the number of bits per QAM symbol) and coding R_(LIF)        (which is the rate of the code used) parameters signalled in        bootstrap.

The number of OFDM cells occupied by the L1-fixed signalling in thepreamble is therefore:N _(LIF) −B _(LIF)*(I+R _(LIF))/M _(LIF)

The receiver should be able to work this out as well—then extract anddecode the cells to get the information carried in the L1-fixedsignalling.

As the number of bits in the L1-variable signalling is variable, thishas to be signalled in the L1-fixed. Further, as the number of preamblesymbols over which the QAM cells that result from the modulation of thesignalling information are interleaved depends on the number ofL1-variable cells, L1-fixed cells cannot be interleaved across multiplepreamble symbols. Thus L1-fixed cells are all carried in the firstpreamble symbol which nevertheless frequency interleaved. FIG. 2illustrates how the cells that result from QAM-mapped bits from theseparately coded L1-fixed and L1-variable signalling information arecarried in the preamble N_(P) symbols for a case when N_(P)=3. Thearrows show the interleaving of cells between the preamble symbols.

FIG. 7 provides a schematic block diagram of the loading of L1signalling cells in preamble OFDM symbols. For example, showing in FIG.7 there are three OFDM symbols which are used to carry the L1 signallingdata. As shown in FIG. 7, a first of the OFDM symbols 700 includes afirst section 702 which is reserved and is therefore of a fixed lengthfor carrying a first fixed length L1 signalling data. A remaining part704 of the first OFDM symbol 700 is allocated to carry layer 1 (L1)signalling data which is provided for carrying a varying amount of L1signalling. The varying L1 signalling capacity occupies the remainingtwo other OFDM symbols 706, 708. Each part of the remaining two OFDMsymbols 706, 708 carries varying capacity L1 signalling data in asection 710. Any remaining capacity is allocated for the transmission ofpayload data in a section 712. As shown by arrows 720, the data cells ofthe L1 signalling data of the varying capacity 704, 710 are for each ofthe OFDM symbols 700, 706, 708 interleaved in time. However all of thecells of the OFDM symbols of the preamble are frequency interleaved bythe frequency interleaver 34 shown in FIG. 2.

In one example embodiment the modulator may be configured with the framebuilder to generate for each sub frame one or more OFDM symbols carryingthe payload data and each of the one or more OFDM symbols of the subframe includes pilot subcarriers according to a scattered and continuouspredetermined pattern. The scattered pilot subcarriers are transmittedin each OFDM symbol of the sub frame with the affect that the locationof each of the scattered pilot subcarriers changes from one symbol tothe next. Furthermore, the location of the pilot subcarriers changes bya factor Dx from one OFDM symbol to another. Further, according to thepresent technique the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble symboleach include in the pilot subcarrier symbols all of the scattered andcontinuous subcarrier locations which are otherwise present in aplurality of OFDM symbols of the sub frame. Such an arrangement isillustrated in FIGS. 8a and 8b . As shown in FIG. 8a , six OFDM symbols800 are shown comprising in this example 17 subcarriers. As shown by thesubcarriers marked with a cross 802 selected subcarriers 802 arearranged to carry pilot symbols. A location of the pilot symbols isscattered in the sense that from one symbol to the next, the location isbased by a factor Dx and over a cycle of 6 OFDM symbols 800 adisplacement of the subcarrier location of the pilot symbol is moveduntil the cycle repeats for the next set of 6 OFDM symbols. Accordingly,a displacement between the same subcarrier location carrying the pilotsymbols is Dy=6 OFDM symbols. In contrast as shown in FIG. 8b , thescattered pilot symbols are shown for all of the possible locationswhere a subcarrier carries a pilot symbol for the OFDM symbols shown inFIG. 8 a.

Various further aspects and features of the present technique aredefined in the appended claims and various combinations of the featuresof the dependent claims may be made with those of the independent claimsother than the specific combinations recited for the claim dependency.Modifications may also be made to the embodiments hereinbefore describedwithout departing from the scope of the present technique. For instance,processing elements of embodiments may be implemented in hardware,software, and logical or analogue circuitry. Furthermore, although afeature may appear to be described in connection with particularembodiments, one skilled in the art would recognise that variousfeatures of the described embodiments may be combined in accordance withthe present technique.

[1] ATSC Candidate Standard: System Discovery and Signalling (Doc. A/321Part 1), Document S32-231r4, 6 May 2015

[2] EN 302 755 V1.3.1, Frame structure channel coding and modulation fora second generation digital terrestrial television broadcasting system(DVB-T2), April 2012

Further Embodiments of the Disclosure

First further embodiments of the disclosure are defined by the followingnumbered clauses:

1. A transmitter for transmitting payload data using OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the transmittercomprising

a frame builder configured to receive the payload data to be transmittedand to receive Layer 1, L1, signalling data for use in detecting andrecovering the payload data at a receiver, and to form the payload datawith the signalling data into a plurality of time divided frames fortransmission, each of the time divided frames including a bootstrapsignal, a preamble signal and a plurality of sub-frames,

a modulator configured to modulate one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble with the signalling data and to modulate a plurality of OFDMsymbols with the payload data for transmission in each of thesub-frames, and

a transmission circuit for transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying thesignalling data of the preamble and the payload data in the plurality ofsub-frames, wherein

the preamble signal forms a start of each frame and comprises one ormore OFDM symbols carrying the L1 signalling data, a first of the one ormore OFDM symbols carrying a fixed length part of the L1 signalling dataof a predetermined size, the fixed length L1 signalling data indicatingcommunications parameters for detecting a variable length part of theremaining L1 signalling data carried in the remaining one or more OFDMsymbols of the preamble, and

the bootstrap signal comprises one or more OFDM symbols carrying anindication of communications parameters for detecting the fixed lengthL1 signalling data carried by the first of the one or more OFDM symbolsof the preamble signal.

2. A transmitter as defined in Clause 1, wherein a number of the OFDMsymbols of the preamble is variable, the number being indicated by thefixed length L1 signalling data of the first of the one or more OFDMsymbols of the preamble or calculable from the length of the L1signalling as signalled in the fixed length L1 signalling.

3. A transmitter as defined in Clause 1 or 2, wherein the fixed lengthL1 signalling data is carried in a first part of the first OFDM symboland the FFT size of the first OFDM symbol is indicated by the bootstrapsignal.

4. A transmitter as defined in Clause 3 or 4, wherein a number ofsub-carriers of one or more of the OFDM symbols of the preamble otherthan the first OFDM symbols is variable, the number of sub-carriersbeing indicated by the fixed length L1 signalling data of the first ofthe OFDM symbols of the preamble.

5. A transmitter as defined in any of Clauses 1 to 5, wherein themodulator is configured with the frame builder to generate the preamblesignal with the one or more OFDM symbols using an FFT size which is thesame as the FFT size of the OFDM symbols of a first of the sub-frames ofeach frame.

6. A transmitter as defined in any of Clauses 1 to 5, wherein themodulator is configured with the frame builder to generate, for eachsub-frame, one or more OFDM symbols carrying the payload data, and eachof the one or more OFDM symbols of the sub-frame includes scattered andcontinuous pilot sub-carriers at locations in the OFDM symbols accordingto a predetermined pattern, the scattered pilot sub-carriers beingtransmitted in each OFDM symbol at locations displaced with respect to asub-carrier in a previous OFDM symbol by a predetermined value, and theone or more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal each include pilotsub-carrier symbols at sub-carrier locations corresponding to anysub-carrier location at which a scattered sub-carrier is transmitted inany of the OFDM symbols of a following sub-frame.

7. A transmitter as defined in any of Clauses 1 to 5, wherein themodulator is configured with the frame builder to generate the OFDMsymbols of the preamble signal with a Guard Interval, GI, duration,which is the same as or greater than the GI duration of the one or moreOFDM symbols of a first of the sub-frames of each frame.

8. A transmitter as defined in any of Clauses 1 to 5, the transmittercomprising

an interleaver configured to interleave modulation cells of theremaining L1 signalling data of variable size in time between the one ormore OFDM symbols of the preamble signal.

9. A transmitter as defined in Clause 9, the transmitter comprising afrequency interleaver configured to interleave in frequency each of theone or more preamble OFDM symbols received from the frame builder.

10. A transmitter as defined in any of Clauses 1 to 9, wherein themodulator is configured with the frame builder to modulate any of thesub-carriers of the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble which arenot carrying the fixed length L1 signalling data or the remainingvariable L1 signalling data with payload data.

11. A transmitter as defined in any of Clauses 1 to 10, wherein thecommunications parameters carried by the one or more OFDM symbols of thebootstrap signal include at least the FFT size, a guard intervalduration, a pilot pattern, coding and modulation parameters for use by areceiver in detecting and demodulating the first OFDM symbol of thepreamble and decoding the fixed length part of the L1 signalling data.

12. A transmitter as defined in any of Clauses 1 to 11, wherein one ormore of the sub-frames of each frame include a starting OFDM symboland/or a closing OFDM symbol, the starting and the closing OFDM symbolsinclude energy balancing cells comprising sub-carriers which are notmodulated and are set to zero.

13. A transmitter as defined in Clause 12, wherein the frames includethe starting and/or the closing OFDM symbols when there is a change inat least one of a pilot sub-carrier patterns or the FFT size of the OFDMsymbols carrying the payload data in the sub-frame.

14. A receiver for detecting and recovering payload data from a receivedsignal, the receiver comprising

a radio frequency demodulation circuit configured to detect the receivedsignal, the received signal having been formed and transmitted by atransmitter to carry the payload data as Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexed (OFDM) symbols in one or more of a plurality of time dividedframes, each frame including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of sub-frames each of which carries the payload data in aplurality of OFDM symbols, the preamble signal forming a start of eachframe and comprising one or more OFDM symbols carrying layer 1, L1,signalling data for detecting the payload data carried by the frame, afirst of the one or more OFDM symbols carrying a fixed length part ofthe L1 signalling data of a predetermined size, the fixed length L1signalling data indicating communications parameters for detecting avariable length part of the L1 signalling data carried in the remainingone or more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal, and the bootstrapsignal comprising one or more OFDM symbols carrying an indication ofcommunications parameters for detecting the fixed length L1 signallingdata carried by the first of the one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble signal,

a detector circuit configured to detect and to convert a useful part ofthe one or more of the bootstrap OFDM symbols, the preamble OFDM symbolsand the payload OFDM symbols into the frequency domain,

a demodulator circuit configured

to detect the one or more bootstrap OFDM symbols to identify thecommunications parameters for detecting the fixed length L1 signallingdata from the first of the OFDM symbols of the preamble signal,

to detect the fixed length L1 signalling data from the first of the OFDMsymbols of the preamble to identify the communications parameters fordetecting the variable length L1 signalling data from the remaining oneor more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal,

to detect the variable length L1 signalling data from the remaining oneor more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal, and

to use the fixed and variable length L1 signalling data to detect thepayload data.

15. A method of transmitting payload data using Orthogonal FrequencyDivision Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the method comprising

receiving the payload data to be transmitted,

receiving Layer 1, L1, signalling data for use in detecting andrecovering the payload data at a receiver,

forming the payload data with the signalling data into a plurality oftime divided frames for transmission, each of the time divided framesincluding a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and a plurality ofsub-frames,

modulating one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble with the signallingdata,

modulating a plurality of OFDM symbols with the payload data fortransmission in each of the sub-frames, and

transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying the signalling data of thepreamble and the payload data in the plurality of sub-frames, wherein

the preamble signal forms a start of each frame and comprises one ormore OFDM symbols carrying the L1 signalling data, a first of the one ormore OFDM symbols carrying a fixed length part of the L1 signalling dataof a predetermined size, the fixed length L1 signalling data indicatingcommunications parameters for detecting a variable length part of theremaining L1 signalling data carried in the remaining one or more OFDMsymbols of the preamble, and

the bootstrap signal comprises one or more OFDM symbols carrying anindication of communications parameters for detecting the fixed lengthL1 signalling data carried by the first of the one or more OFDM symbolsof the preamble signal.

16. A method of detecting and recovering payload data from a receivedsignal, the method comprising

detecting the received signal, the received signal having been formedand transmitted by a transmitter to carry the payload data as OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols in one or more of aplurality of time divided frames, each frame including a bootstrapsignal, a preamble signal and a plurality of sub-frames each of whichcarries the payload data in a plurality of OFDM symbols, the preamblesignal forming a start of each frame and comprising one or more OFDMsymbols carrying layer 1, L1, signalling data for detecting the payloaddata carried by the frame, a first of the one or more OFDM symbolscarrying a fixed length part of the L1 signalling data of apredetermined size, the fixed length L1 signalling data indicatingcommunications parameters for detecting a variable length part of the L1signalling data carried in the remaining one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble signal, and the bootstrap signal comprising one or more OFDMsymbols carrying an indication of communications parameters fordetecting the fixed length L1 signalling data carried by the first ofthe one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal,

converting a useful part of the one or more of the bootstrap OFDMsymbols, the preamble OFDM symbols and the payload OFDM symbols into thefrequency domain,

detecting the one or more bootstrap OFDM symbols to identify thecommunications parameters for detecting the fixed length L1 signallingdata from the first of the OFDM symbols of the preamble signal,

detecting the fixed length L1 signalling data from the first of the OFDMsymbols of the preamble to identify the communications parameters fordetecting the variable length L1 signalling data from the remaining oneor more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal,

detecting the variable length L1 signalling data from the remaining oneor more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal, and

using the fixed and variable length L1 signalling data to detect thepayload data.

17. A computer program providing computer executable instructions whichwhen loaded onto a computer causes the computer to perform the methodaccording to Clause 15 or Clause 16.

Second further embodiments of the disclosure are defined by thefollowing numbered clauses:

1. A receiver comprising:

radio frequency demodulation circuitry configured to detect a receivedsignal comprising Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols in one or more of a plurality of time divided frames, each frameincluding a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and a plurality ofsubframes each of which carry payload data modulated on a plurality ofsecond OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one or more OFDMsymbols modulated with signalling data, the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)size of the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal being thesame FFT size as for the second OFDM symbols of first of the pluralityof subframes; and

demodulator circuitry configured to detect the signalling data from theOFDM symbols of the preamble signal and to use the signalling data todetect the payload data modulated on the second OFDM symbols of thefirst of the subframes.

2. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein each time divided framebegins with the bootstrap signal immediately followed in time by the oneor more preamble OFDM symbols which are immediately followed in time bythe first of the subframes which is immediately followed by at least onefurther subframe and the demodulator is configured to use the signallingdata to detect the payload data modulated on the second OFDM symbols ofthe at least one further subframe.

3 The receiver as defined in Clause 2 wherein the further subframecomprises second OFDM symbols having a different FFT size to the secondOFDM symbols which comprise the first of the subframes.

4. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 wherein, the bootstrap signalcomprises a number of symbols including a synchronization symbol havinga number of subcarriers which is smaller than the number of subcarriersof the FFT size of the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble.

5. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the demodulatorcircuitry is configured to detect the bootstrap signal and determine theFFT size of the first OFDM symbol of the preamble which is indicated bythe bootstrap signal in signalling bits.

6. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the demodulatorcomprises Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) circuitry configured to transformOFDM symbols of the preamble symbol and second OFDM symbols from thefrequency domain to the time domain, the second ODFM symbols of a firstof the subframes having a different FFT size to the second OFDM symbolsof at least one further subframe.

7. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being configured to receive atelevision signal.

8. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being an ATSC television receiver

9. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, further comprising a display towhich the detected payload data is output.

10. A method comprising:

detecting a received signal comprising Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexed (OFDM) symbols in one or more of a plurality of time dividedframes, each frame including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes each of which carry payload data modulated on aplurality of second OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one ormore OFDM symbols modulated with signalling data, the Fast FourierTransform (FFT) size of the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamblesignal being the same FFT size as for the second OFDM symbols of firstof the plurality of subframes; and detecting by demodulation circuitrythe signalling data from the OFDM symbols of the preamble signal and touse the signalling data to detect the payload data modulated on thesecond OFDM symbols of the first of the subframes.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer programinstructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer toperform the method of clause 10.

12. A transmitter for transmitting payload data using OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the transmittercomprising

a frame builder configured to receive the payload data and signallingdata and to form the payload data with the signalling data into aplurality of time divided frames for transmission, each of the timedivided frames including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes,

a modulator configured to modulate one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble signal with the signalling data and to modulate a plurality ofsecond OFDM symbols with the payload data for transmission in each ofthe subframes wherein the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) size of the oneor more OFDM symbols of the preamble is the same FFT size as for theplurality of second OFDM symbols modulated with payload data in thefirst of the subframes, and

a transmission circuit for transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying thesignalling data of the preamble and the payload data in the plurality ofsubframes.

13. The transmitter as defined in Clause 12, wherein each time dividedframe begins with a bootstrap signal immediately followed in time by theone or more OFDM symbols of the preamble which are immediately followedin time by the first of the subframes which is immediately followed byat least one further subframe.

14. The transmitter as defined in Clause 13, wherein the furthersubframe comprises second OFDM symbols having a different FFT size tothe second OFDM symbols which comprise the first of the subframes.

15. The transmitter as defined in Clause 12, wherein the bootstrapsignal comprises a number of symbols including a synchronization symbolhaving a number of sub-carriers which is smaller than the number ofsub-carriers of the FFT size of the one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble.

16. The transmitter as defined in Clause 12, wherein the FFT size of thefirst OFDM symbol of the preamble and the FFT size of the second OFDMsymbols of the first subframe is indicated by the bootstrap signal.

17. A method comprising

receiving the payload data and signalling data and forming the payloaddata with the signalling data into a plurality of time divided framesfor transmission, each of the time divided frames including a bootstrapsignal, a preamble signal and a plurality of subframes,

modulating one or more Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols of the preamble with the signalling data and modulating aplurality of second OFDM symbols with the payload data for transmissionin each of the plurality of subframes wherein the FFT size of the one ormore OFDM symbols of the preamble signal is the same FFT size as for theplurality of second OFDM symbols modulated with payload data in thefirst of the subframes, and

transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying the signalling data of thepreamble and the payload data in the plurality of subframes.

Third further embodiments of the disclosure are defined by the followingnumbered clauses:

1. A receiver comprising:

radio frequency demodulation circuitry configured to detect a receivedsignal comprising Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols in one or more of a plurality of time divided frames, each frameincluding a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and a plurality ofsubframes each of which carry payload data modulated on a plurality ofsecond OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one or more OFDMsymbols modulated with signalling data, and having a guard interval witha duration which is the same as or greater than the guard intervalduration of the one or more OFDM symbols of a first of the subframes ofeach frame; and

demodulator circuitry configured to detect the signalling data from theOFDM symbols of the preamble signal and to use the signalling data todetect the payload data modulated on the second OFDM symbols of thefirst of the subframes.

2. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein each time divided framebegins with a bootstrap signal immediately followed in time by the oneor more preamble OFDM symbols which are immediately followed in time bythe first of the subframes which is immediately followed in time by atleast one further subframe.3. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the bootstrap signalcomprises a plurality of symbols including a synchronization symbolhaving a number of subcarriers which is smaller than the number ofsubcarriers of the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble, thedemodulator circuitry using the synchronization symbol to detect thesignalling data from the OFDM symbols of the preamble signal.4. The receiver as defined in Clause 3, wherein at least one of theplurality of symbols of the bootstrap signal include an indication ofcommunication parameters, the communication parameters including atleast an indication of the guard interval duration of at least one theOFDM symbols of the preamble signal, the demodulator circuitry using theat least an indication of the guard interval duration to detect thesignalling data from the OFDM symbols of the preamble signal.5. The receiver as defined in Clause 3, wherein at least one of theplurality of symbols of the bootstrap signal include an indication ofcommunication parameters, the communication parameters including atleast an indication of the guard interval duration of all of the OFDMsymbols of the preamble of a time divided frame, the demodulatorcircuitry using the at least an indication of the guard intervalduration to detect the signalling data from the OFDM symbols of thepreamble signal.6. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the guard intervalduration comprises a number of samples.7. The receiver as defined in Clause 2, wherein the guard intervalduration of the first of the subframes is different for the at least onefurther subframe.8. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being configured to receive atelevision signal.9. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being an ATSC television receiver10. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, further comprising a display towhich the detected payload data is output.11. A method comprising:

detecting a received signal comprising Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexed (OFDM) symbols in one or more of a plurality of time dividedframes, each frame including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes each of which carry payload data modulated on aplurality of second OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one ormore OFDM symbols modulated with signalling data, and having a guardinterval with a duration which is the same as or greater than the guardinterval duration of the one or more OFDM symbols of a first of thesubframes of each frame; and

detecting the signalling data from the OFDM symbols of the preamblesignal and using the signalling data to detect the payload datamodulated on the second OFDM symbols of the first of the subframes.

12. A transmitter for transmitting payload data using OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the transmittercomprising

a frame builder configured to receive the payload data and signallingdata and to form the payload data with the signalling data into aplurality of time divided frames for transmission, each of the timedivided frames including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes,

a modulator configured to modulate one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble signal with the signalling data and to modulate a plurality ofsecond OFDM symbols with the payload data for transmission in each ofthe plurality of subframes, wherein the modulator is configured with theframe builder to generate the OFDM symbols of the preamble signal with aguard interval duration which is the same as or greater than the guardinterval duration of the one or more OFDM symbols of a first of thesubframes of each frame and

a transmission circuit for transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying thesignalling data of the preamble and the payload data in the plurality ofsubframes.

13. The transmitter as defined in Clause 12, wherein each time dividedframe begins with a bootstrap signal immediately followed in time by theone or more preamble OFDM symbols which are immediately followed in timeby the first of the subframes which is immediately followed in time byat least one further subframe.14. The transmitter as defined in Clause 12, wherein the bootstrapsignal comprises a plurality of symbols including a synchronizationsymbol having a number of subcarriers which is smaller than the numberof subcarriers of the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble.15. The transmitter as defined in Clause 14, wherein at least one of theplurality of symbols include an indication of communication parameters,the communication parameters including at least an indication of theguard interval duration of at least one the OFDM symbols of the preamblesignal.16. The transmitter as defined in Clause 14, wherein at least one of theplurality of symbols include an indication of communication parameters,the communication parameters including at least an indication of theguard interval duration of all of the OFDM symbols of the preamble of atime divided frame.17. The transmitter as defined in Clause 12, wherein the guard intervalduration comprises a number of samples.18. The transmitter as defined in Clause 13, wherein the guard intervalduration of the first of the subframes is different for the at least onefurther subframe.19. A method comprising

receiving payload data and signalling data and to form the payload datawith the signalling data into a plurality of time divided frames fortransmission, each of the time divided frames including a bootstrapsignal, a preamble signal and a plurality of subframes,

modulating one or more Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols of the preamble signal with the signalling data and modulating asecond plurality of OFDM symbols with the payload data for transmissionin each of the plurality of subframes, generating the OFDM symbols ofthe preamble signal with a guard interval duration which is the same asor greater than the guard interval duration of the one or more OFDMsymbols of a first of the subframes of each frame and

transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying the signalling data of thepreamble and the payload data in the plurality of subframes

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer programinstructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer toperform the method of clause 11.

Fourth further embodiments of the disclosure are defined by thefollowing numbered clauses:

1. A receiver comprising:

radio frequency demodulation circuitry configured to detect a receivedsignal comprising Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols in one or more of a plurality of time divided frames, each frameincluding a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and a plurality ofsubframes each of which carries payload data modulated on a plurality ofsecond OFDM symbols,

the preamble signal comprising one or more OFDM symbols modulated withsignalling data, and each of the one or more second OFDM symbols of theplurality of subframes includes scattered pilot sub-carriers atlocations in the second OFDM symbols according to a predeterminedpattern, the scattered pilot sub-carriers being included in each secondOFDM symbol at locations displaced with respect to a sub-carrier in aprevious second OFDM symbol by a predetermined value, and the one ormore OFDM symbols of the preamble signal each include pilot sub-carriersymbols at sub-carrier locations corresponding to any sub-carrierlocation at which a scattered pilot sub-carrier has been transmitted inany of the second OFDM symbols of a following subframe, and

demodulator circuitry configured to detect the signalling data from theOFDM symbols of the preamble signal and to use the signalling data todetect the payload data modulated on the second OFDM symbols of thefirst of the subframes.

2. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 wherein the said followingsubframe is the first of the subframes.

3. The receiver as defined in Clause 2, wherein each time divided framebegins with the bootstrap signal immediately followed in time by the oneor more preamble OFDM symbols which are immediately followed in time bythe first of the subframes which is immediately followed by at least onefurther subframe and the demodulator circuitry is configured to use thesignalling data to detect the payload data modulated on the second OFDMsymbols of the at least one further subframe.4. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the bootstrap signalcomprises a number of symbols including a synchronization symbol havinga number of sub-carriers which is smaller than the number of subcarriersof a first of one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble.5. The receiver as defined in Clause 4, wherein at least one of thenumber of symbols include an indication of communication parameters, thecommunication parameters including at least an indication of the subcarrier locations at which pilot-sub carriers are generated in the oneor more preamble OFDM symbols.6. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being configured to receive atelevision signal.7. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being an ATSC televisionreceiver.8. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, further comprising a display towhich the detected payload data is output.9. A method comprising:

detecting a received signal comprising Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexed (OFDM) symbols in one or more of a plurality of time dividedframes, each frame including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes each of which carries payload data modulated on aplurality of second OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one ormore OFDM symbols modulated with signalling data and each of the one ormore second OFDM symbols of the plurality of subframes includesscattered pilot sub-carriers at locations in the second OFDM symbolsaccording to a predetermined pattern, the scattered pilot sub-carriersbeing included in each second OFDM symbol at locations displaced withrespect to a sub-carrier in a previous second OFDM symbol by apredetermined value, and the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamblesignal each include pilot sub-carrier symbols at sub-carrier locationscorresponding to any sub-carrier location at which a scattered pilotsub-carrier has been transmitted in any of the second OFDM symbols of afollowing subframe, and

detecting the signalling data from the OFDM symbols of the preamblesignal and to use the signalling data to detect the payload datamodulated on the second OFDM symbols of the first of the subframes.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer programinstructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer toperform the method of clause 9.

11. A transmitter for transmitting payload data using OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the transmittercomprising:

a frame builder configured to receive the payload data and signallingdata and to form the payload data with the signalling data into aplurality of time divided frames for transmission, each of the timedivided frames including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes,

-   -   a modulator configured to modulate one or more OFDM symbols of        the preamble with the signalling data and to modulate a        plurality of second OFDM symbols with the payload data for        transmission in each of the subframes wherein the modulator is        configured with the frame builder to generate, for each        subframe, one or more second OFDM symbols carrying the payload        data, and each of the one or more second OFDM symbols of the        subframe includes scattered pilot sub-carriers at locations in        the second OFDM symbols according to a predetermined pattern,        the scattered pilot sub-carriers being transmitted in each        second OFDM symbol at locations displaced with respect to a        sub-carrier in a previous second OFDM symbol by a predetermined        value, and the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal        each include pilot sub-carrier symbols at sub-carrier locations        corresponding to any sub-carrier location at which a scattered        pilot sub-carrier is transmitted in any of the OFDM symbols of a        following subframe, and

a transmission circuit for transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying thesignalling data of the preamble and the payload data in the plurality ofsubframes.

12. The transmitter as defined in Clause 11, wherein the said followingsubframe is the first of the subframes.

13. The transmitter as defined in Clause 12, wherein each time dividedframe beginnings with a bootstrap signal immediately followed by the oneor more preamble OFDM symbols which are immediately followed by thefirst of the subframes which is followed by at least one furthersubframe.14. The bootstrap signal comprising a number of symbols including asynchronization symbol having a number of sub-carriers which is smallerthan the number of subcarriers of a first of one or more OFDM symbols ofthe preamble.15. The transmitter as defined in Clause 14, wherein at least one of thenumber of symbols includes an indication of communication parameters,the communication parameters including at least an indication of the subcarrier locations at which pilot-sub carriers are generated in the oneor more preamble OFDM symbols.16. A method comprising:

receiving the payload data and signalling data and to form the payloaddata with the signalling data into a plurality of time divided framesfor transmission, each of the time divided frames including a bootstrapsignal, a preamble signal and a plurality of subframes,

modulating one or more Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols of the preamble with the signalling data and modulating aplurality of second OFDM symbols with the payload data for transmissionin each of the subframes and

generating, for each subframe, one or more second OFDM symbols carryingthe payload data, and each of the one or more second OFDM symbols of thesubframe includes scattered pilot sub-carriers at locations in thesecond OFDM symbols according to a predetermined pattern,

transmitting the scattered pilot sub-carriers in each second OFDM symbolat locations displaced with respect to a sub-carrier in a previoussecond OFDM symbol by a predetermined value, and the one or more OFDMsymbols of the preamble signal each include pilot sub-carrier symbols atsub-carrier locations corresponding to any sub-carrier location at whicha scattered pilot sub-carrier is transmitted in any of the OFDM symbolsof a following subframe, and

transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying the signalling data of thepreamble and the payload data in the plurality of subframes.

Fifth further embodiments of the disclosure are defined by the followingnumbered clauses:

1. A receiver comprising:

radio frequency demodulation circuitry configured to detect a receivedsignal comprising Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols in one or more of a plurality of time divided frames, each frameincluding a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and a plurality ofsubframes each of which carries payload data modulated on a plurality ofsecond OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one or more OFDMsymbols modulated with signalling data and each of the one or moresecond OFDM symbols of the subframe including scattered pilotsub-carriers at locations in the second OFDM symbols according to apredetermined pattern, the scattered pilot sub-carriers being receivedin each second OFDM symbol at locations displaced with respect to asub-carrier in a previous second OFDM symbol by a value, and the one ormore OFDM symbols of the preamble signal each include pilot sub-carriersymbols at sub-carrier locations corresponding to any sub-carrierlocation at which a scattered pilot sub-carrier is received in a firstof the second OFDM symbol of a following subframe and in which a greaternumber of pilot sub-carriers at sub-carrier locations are received thansub-carrier locations at which scattered pilot sub-carriers are receivedin the first of the second OFDM symbols of the following subframe, and

demodulator circuitry configured to detect the signalling data from theOFDM symbols of the preamble signal and to use the signalling data todetect the payload data modulated on the second OFDM symbols of thefirst of the subframes.

2. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the said followingsubframe is the first of the plurality of subframes.

3. The receiver as defined in Clause 2, wherein each time divided framebegins with a bootstrap signal immediately followed by the one or morepreamble OFDM symbols which are immediately followed by the first of thesubframes which is followed by at least one further subframe.4. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the bootstrap signalcomprises a number of symbols including a synchronization symbol havinga number of sub-carriers which is smaller than the number of subcarriersof a first of one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble.5. The receiver as defined in Clause 4, wherein at least one of thenumber of symbols include an indication of communication parameters, thecommunication parameters including at least an indication of the subcarrier locations at which pilot-sub carriers are located in the one ormore OFDM symbols of the preamble.6. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the said value by whichscattered pilot sub-carrier locations are displaced between a secondOFDM symbol and the previous second OFDM symbol corresponds to adisplacement between pilot sub-carrier locations in each of the one ormode OFDM symbols of the preamble.7. The receiver as defined in Clause 6, wherein the demodulator uses thegreater number of pilot sub-carriers at sub-carrier locations of the atleast one OFDM symbol of the preamble to detect the payload data.8. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being configured to receive atelevision signal.9. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being an ATSC televisionreceiver.10. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, further comprising a display towhich the detected payload data is output.11. A receiving method comprising:

detecting a received signal comprising Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexed (OFDM) symbols in one or more of a plurality of time dividedframes, each frame including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes each of which carries payload data modulated on aplurality of second OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one ormore OFDM symbols modulated with signalling data and each of the one ormore second OFDM symbols of the plurality of subframes includingscattered pilot sub-carriers at locations in the second OFDM symbolsaccording to a predetermined pattern, the scattered pilot sub-carriersbeing received in each second OFDM symbol at locations displaced withrespect to a sub-carrier in a previous second OFDM symbol by a value,and the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal each includepilot sub-carrier symbols at sub-carrier locations corresponding to anysub-carrier location at which a scattered pilot sub-carrier is receivedin a first of the second OFDM symbol of a following subframe and inwhich a greater number of pilot sub-carriers at sub-carrier locationsare received than sub-carrier locations at which scattered pilotsub-carriers are received in the first of the second OFDM symbols of thefollowing subframe, and

detecting the signalling data from the OFDM symbols of the preamblesignal and to use the signalling data to detect the payload datamodulated on the second OFDM symbols of the first of the subframes.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer programinstructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer toperform the method of clause 11.

13. A transmitter for transmitting payload data using OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the transmittercomprising:

a frame builder configured to receive the payload data and signallingdata and to form the payload data with the signalling data into aplurality of time divided frames for transmission, each of the timedivided frames including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes,

a modulator configured to modulate one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble with the signalling data and to modulate a plurality of secondOFDM symbols with the payload data for transmission in each of thesubframes wherein the modulator is configured with the frame builder togenerate, for each subframe, one or more second OFDM symbols carryingthe payload data, and each of the one or more second OFDM symbols of thesubframe includes scattered pilot sub-carriers at locations in thesecond OFDM symbols according to a predetermined pattern, the scatteredpilot sub-carriers being transmitted in each second OFDM symbol atlocations displaced with respect to a sub-carrier in a previous secondOFDM symbol by a value, and the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamblesignal each include pilot sub-carrier symbols at sub-carrier locationscorresponding to any sub-carrier location at which a scattered pilotsub-carrier is transmitted in a first of the second OFDM symbol of afollowing subframe and in which a greater number of pilot sub-carriersat sub-carrier locations are transmitted than sub-carrier locations atwhich scattered pilot sub-carriers are transmitted in the first of thesecond OFDM symbols of the following subframe, and

a transmission circuit for transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying thesignalling data of the preamble and the payload data in the plurality ofsubframes.

14. The transmitter as defined in Clause 13, wherein the said followingsubframe is the first of the plurality of subframes.

15. The transmitter as defined in Clause 13, wherein each time dividedframe begins with a bootstrap signal immediately followed by the one ormore preamble OFDM symbols which are immediately followed by the firstof the subframes which is followed by at least one further subframe.16. The transmitter as defined in Clause 13 wherein the bootstrap signalcomprises a number of symbols including a synchronization symbol havinga number of sub-carriers which is smaller than the number of subcarriersof a first of one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble.17. The transmitter as defined in Clause 16, wherein at least one of thenumber of symbols include an indication of communication parameters, thecommunication parameters including at least an indication of the subcarrier locations at which pilot-sub carriers are generated in the oneor more OFDM symbols of the preamble.18. The transmitter as defined in Clause 13, wherein the said value bywhich scattered pilot sub-carrier locations are displaced between asecond OFDM symbol and the previous second OFDM symbol corresponds to adisplacement between pilot sub-carrier locations in each of the one ormode OFDM symbols of the preamble.19. A method comprising:

receiving payload data and signalling data and forming m the payloaddata with the signalling data into a plurality of time divided framesfor transmission, each of the time divided frames including a bootstrapsignal, a preamble signal and a plurality of subframes,

modulating one or more Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols of the preamble with the signalling data and modulating aplurality of second OFDM symbols with the payload data for transmissionin each of the subframes;

generating, for each subframe, one or more second OFDM symbols carryingthe payload data, and each of the one or more second OFDM symbols of thesubframe including scattered pilot sub-carriers at locations in thesecond OFDM symbols according to a predetermined pattern, the scatteredpilot sub-carriers in each second OFDM symbol at locations beingdisplaced with respect to a sub-carrier in a previous second OFDM symbolby a value, and the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal eachinclude pilot sub-carrier symbols at sub-carrier locations correspondingto any sub-carrier location at which a scattered pilot sub-carrier islocated in a first of the second OFDM symbol of a following subframe;

transmitting a greater number of pilot sub-carriers at sub-carrierlocations than sub-carrier locations at which scattered pilotsub-carriers are located in the first of the second OFDM symbols of thefollowing subframe, and

transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying the signalling data of thepreamble and the payload data in the plurality of subframes.

Sixth further embodiments of the disclosure are defined by the followingnumbered clauses:

1. A receiver comprising:

radio frequency demodulation circuitry configured to detect a receivedsignal comprising Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols in one or more of a plurality of time divided frames, each frameincluding a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and a plurality ofsubframes each of which carries payload data modulated on a plurality ofsecond OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one or more OFDMsymbols modulated with signalling data and a first of the one or moreOFDM symbols carries a fixed length part of the signalling data of apredetermined size, the fixed length signalling data indicatingcommunications parameters for detecting a variable length part ofsignalling data carried in any remaining part of the first of the one ormore OFDM symbols and in a second of the one or more OFDM symbols; and

demodulator circuitry configured to detect the signalling data from theone or more OFDM symbols of the preamble signal and to use the fixedlength part of the signalling data and the variable length part of thesignalling data to detect the payload data modulated on the second OFDMsymbols of the subframes.

2. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein all of the fixed lengthpart of the signalling data is carried in the first of the one or moreOFDM symbols of the preamble.

3. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the fixed length part ofthe signalling data includes an indication of the number of preambleOFDM symbols.

4. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, comprising first deinterleavercircuitry configured to deinterleave the variable length part of thesignalling data from more than one of the OFDM symbols of the preamble.

5. The receiver as defined in Clause 4, wherein the fixed length part ofthe signalling data is not deinterleaved by the first deinterleavercircuitry.

6. The receiver as defined in Clause 4, wherein the first deinterleavercircuitry is configured to deinterleave the variable length part of thesignalling data in time.

7. The receiver as defined in Clause 4, wherein the first deinterleavercircuitry is a time deinterleaver.

8. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, comprising frequencydeinterleaver circuitry configured to deinterleave both of the variablelength part of signalling data and fixed length part of the signallingdata in OFDM symbols of the preamble.

9. The receiver as defined in Clause 8, wherein the frequencydeinterleaver circuitry is configured to deinterleave all of thevariable and fixed length parts of signalling data across thesub-carriers of an OFDM symbol.

10. The receiver as defined in Clause 4, further comprising a frequencydeinterleaver configured to deinterleave both the fixed length part ofthe signalling data and deinterleaved variable length part of thesignalling data.

11. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being configured to receive atelevision signal.

12. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being an ATSC televisionreceiver.

13. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, further comprising a display towhich the detected payload data is output.

14 A method comprising:

detecting a received signal comprising Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexed (OFDM) symbols in one or more of a plurality of time dividedframes, each frame including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes each of which carries payload data modulated on aplurality of second OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one ormore OFDM symbols modulated with signalling data and a first of the oneor more OFDM symbols carries a fixed length part of the signalling dataof a predetermined size, the fixed length part of the signalling dataindicating communications parameters for detecting a variable lengthpart of the signalling data carried in any remaining part of the firstof the one or more OFDM symbols and in a second of the one or more OFDMsymbols, and

detecting the signalling data from the one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble signal and using the fixed length part of the signalling dataand the variable length part of the signalling data to detect thepayload data modulated on the second OFDM symbols of the subframes.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer programinstructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer toperform the method of clause 14.

16. A transmitter for transmitting payload data using OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the transmittercomprising:

a frame builder configured to receive the payload data and signallingdata and to form the payload data with the signalling data into aplurality of time divided frames for transmission, each of the timedivided frames including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes,

a modulator configured to modulate one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble signal with the signalling data and to modulate a plurality ofOFDM symbols with the payload data for transmission in each of thesubframes, and

a transmission circuit for transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying thesignalling data of the preamble and the payload data in the plurality ofsubframes, wherein

the preamble signal comprises one or more OFDM symbols carrying thesignalling data, a first of the one or more OFDM symbols carrying afixed length part of the signalling data of a predetermined size, thefixed length part of the signalling data indicating communicationsparameters for detecting a variable length part of signalling datacarried in any remaining part of the first of the one or more OFDMsymbols and in a second of the one or more OFDM symbols.

17. The transmitter as defined in Clause 16, wherein all of the fixedlength part of the signalling data is carried in the first of the one ormore OFDM symbols of the preamble.

18. The transmitter as defined in Clause 16, wherein the fixed lengthpart of the signalling data includes an indication of the number ofpreamble OFDM symbols.

19. The transmitter as defined in Clause 16, comprising firstinterleaver circuitry configured to interleave the variable length partof the signalling data onto more than one of the OFDM symbols of thepreamble.

20. The transmitter as defined in Clause 19, wherein the fixed lengthpart of the signalling data is not interleaved by the first interleavercircuitry.

21. The transmitter as defined in Clause 19, wherein the firstinterleaver circuitry is configured to interleave the variable lengthpart of the signalling data in time.

22. The transmitter as defined in Clause 19, wherein the firstinterleaver circuitry is a time interleaver.

23. The transmitter as defined in Clause 16, comprising frequencyinterleaver circuitry configured to interleave both of the variablelength part of signalling data and fixed length part of the signallingdata in OFDM symbols of the preamble.

24. The transmitter as defined in Clause 23, wherein the frequencyinterleaver circuitry is configured to interleave all of the variableand fixed length parts of signalling data across the sub-carriers of anOFDM symbol.

25. The transmitter as defined in Clause 19, further comprisingfrequency interleaver circuitry configured to interleave both the fixedlength part of the signalling data and interleaved variable length partof the signalling data.

Seventh further embodiments of the disclosure are defined by thefollowing numbered clauses:

1. A receiver configured to recover payload data from OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) representing time-divided frame,the receiver comprising circuitry configured to:

-   -   detect a plurality of bootstrap symbols of the time divided        frame and from a first bootstrap symbol synchronize the        circuitry in frequency;    -   detect a plurality of preamble OFDM symbols and to recover        signalling data therefrom using parameters detected from the        plurality of bootstrap symbols; and        frequency deinterleaver circuitry configured to deinterleave, in        frequency, fixed length signalling data modulated onto a first        part of a first preamble OFDM symbol of the time-divided frame        and variable length signalling data modulated onto both a second        part of the first preamble OFDM symbol and at least one second        preamble OFDM symbol of the time-divided frame.        2. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the frequency        deinterleaver circuitry is further configured to deinterleave,        in frequency, payload data from a preamble OFDM symbol but not        to deinterleave, in frequency, payload data from a subframe of        the time-divided frame.        3. The receiver as defined in Clause 2, comprising second        deinterleaver circuitry configured to deinterleave the variable        length signalling data interleaved between more than one of the        preamble symbols, and wherein the circuitry is further        configured to use the deinterleaved signalling data to recover        the payload data.        4. The receiver as defined in Clause 3, wherein the payload data        comprised in a plurality of subframes.        5. The receiver as defined in Clause 4, wherein the circuitry is        configured to also recover payload data from a portion of a        preamble OFDM symbol.        6. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the Fast Fourier        Transform (FTT) size of the plurality of preamble symbols is the        same FFT size as the OFDM symbols of a first subframe in a time        direction of the time-divided frame, the first subframe        comprising payload data.        7. The receiver as defined in Clause 6, wherein the FFT size of        OFDM symbols of a second subframe in a time direction is        different to that of the first subframe of the time-divided        frame.        8. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein a guard interval        duration of the plurality of preamble symbols is the same guard        interval duration as OFDM symbols modulated with payload data of        a first subframe in a time direction of the time-divided frame.        9. The receiver as defined in Clause 8, wherein the guard        interval duration of OFDM symbols of a second subframe in a time        direction is different to that of the first subframe of the        time-divided frame.        10. The receiver as defined in Clause 8, wherein the signalling        data indicates whether the frequency deinterleaver circuitry is        to be configured to operate on OFDM symbols modulated with        payload data of each of the plurality of subframes of the        time-divided frames.        11. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being configured to        receive a television signal.        12. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being an ATSC television        receiver.        13. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, further comprising a        display to which the detected payload data is output.        14. A method for recovering payload data from Orthogonal        Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) representing time-divided        frame, the method comprising:

detecting a plurality of bootstrap symbols of the time divided frame andbased on a first bootstrap symbol synchronizing the circuitry infrequency;

detecting a plurality of preamble OFDM symbols and recovering signallingdata therefrom using parameters detected from the plurality of bootstrapsymbols; and

deinterleaving in frequency fixed length signalling data modulated ontoa first part of a first preamble OFDM symbol of the time-divided frameand variable length signalling data modulated onto both a second part ofthe first preamble OFDM symbol and at least one second preamble OFDMsymbol of the time-divided frame.

15. The method as defined in Clause 14, comprising deinterleaving thevariable length signalling data interleaved between more than one of thepreamble symbols, and using the deinterleaved variable length signallingdata to recover the payload data.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer programinstructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer toperform the method of clause 14.

17. A transmitter comprising:

a frame builder configured to receive signalling data and to form thesignalling data into a time-divided frame with a bootstrap signalcomprising a plurality of bootstrap symbols including a first bootstrapsymbol which is a synchronization symbol;

a modulator configured to modulate one or more Orthogonal FrequencyDivision Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols of a preamble with the signallingdata, the signalling data comprising fixed length signalling data andvariable length signalling data, the modulator modulating the fixedlength signalling data onto a first part of a first preamble OFDM symboland modulating the variable length signalling data onto both a secondpart of the first preamble OFDM symbol and at least one second preambleOFDM symbol;

frequency interleaver circuitry configured to interleave in frequencythe fixed length signalling data and the variable length signalling datamodulated on the first preamble OFDM symbol and configured to interleavein frequency the variable length signalling data modulated on the atleast one second OFDM symbol; and

a transmission circuit for transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying thesignalling data of the preamble and the plurality of bootstrap symbols.

18. A method comprising:

receiving signalling data and forming the signalling data into atime-divided frame with a bootstrap signal comprising a plurality ofbootstrap symbols including a first bootstrap symbol which is asynchronization symbol;

modulating one or more Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols of a preamble with the signalling data, the signalling datacomprising fixed length signalling data and variable length signallingdata, the modulating comprising modulating the fixed length signallingdata onto a first part of a first preamble OFDM symbol and modulatingthe variable length signalling data onto both a second part of the firstpreamble OFDM symbol and at least one second preamble OFDM symbol;

interleaving in frequency the fixed length signalling data and thevariable length signalling data modulated on the first preamble OFDMsymbol and interleaving in frequency the variable length signalling datamodulated on the at least one second OFDM symbol; and transmitting theOFDM symbols carrying the signalling data of the preamble and theplurality of bootstrap symbols.

Eighth further embodiments of the disclosure are defined by thefollowing numbered clauses:

1. A receiver configured to recover payload data from signalrepresenting a time divided frame comprising circuitry configured to:

detect preamble Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) andrecover signalling data therefrom by frequency deinterleaving thepreamble OFDM symbols;

recover, using the signalling data, payload data from both a part of thepreamble OFDM symbols and a subframe of the time divided frame, thesignalling data indicating that the payload data in the subframe is notfrequency interleaved.

2. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 comprising frequencydeinterleaver circuitry, configured to deinterleave signalling datamodulated on preamble OFDM symbols and further configured todeinterleave payload data modulated on payload OFDM symbols in asubframe based on the signalling data.3. The receiver as defined in Clause 2, wherein the frequencydeinterleaver circuitry is configured not to deinterleave payload datamodulated on payload OFDM symbols in a subframe based on the signallingdata.4. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the circuitry isconfigured to recover payload data using the signalling data from partof the preamble OFDM symbols, the said part of the preamble OFDM symbolsincluding a preamble OFDM symbol on which both of part of variablelength signalling data and payload data have been modulated.5. The receiver as receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein a first ofthe preamble OFDM symbols has fixed length signalling data modulatedthereon.6. The receiver as receiver as defined in Clause 5, wherein the fixedlength signalling data includes an indication of the number of preambleOFDM symbols.7. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, being configured to receive anddecode a television signal.8. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, being an ATSC televisionreceiver.9. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, further comprising a display towhich the detected payload data is output.10. A method for recovering payload data from a from signal representinga time divided frame, the method comprising:

detecting preamble Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) andrecovering signalling data therefrom by frequency deinterleaving thepreamble OFDM symbols

recovering by circuitry, using the signalling data, payload data fromboth a part of the preamble OFDM symbols and a subframe of the timedivided frame, the signalling data indicating that the payload data inthe subframe is not frequency interleaved.

11. The method as defined in Clause 10 comprising:

deinterleaving signalling data modulated on preamble OFDM symbols; and

deinterleaving payload data modulated on payload OFDM symbols in asubframe based on the signalling data.

12. The method as defined in Clause 10 comprising:

deinterleaving signalling data modulated on preamble OFDM symbols; and

configuring frequency interleaver circuitry either to deinterleavepayload data modulated on payload OFDM symbols in a subframe based onthe signalling data or inhibit the frequency interleaver circuitry, theconfiguring being based on the signalling data.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer programinstructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer toperform the method of clause 10.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer programinstructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer toperform the method of clause 12.

15. A transmitter comprising:

a frame builder configured to receive signalling data and to form thesignalling data into a time-divided frame with payload data;

a modulator configured to modulate one or more Orthogonal FrequencyDivision Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols of a preamble with the signallingdata and to modulate payload data onto part of the OFDM symbols of thepreamble and payload OFDM symbols;

frequency interleaver circuitry configured to frequency interleave thesignalling data and payload data of the OFDM symbols of the preamble andconditionally to frequency interleave the payload data of the payloadOFDM symbols;

a transmission circuit for transmitting the OFDM symbols of the preambleand carrying the signalling data of the preamble and the payload OFDMsymbols, wherein the signalling data includes an indication of whetheror not the payload data of the payload OFDM symbols are frequencyinterleaved.

16. A method comprising:

receiving signalling data and forming the signalling data into atime-divided frame with payload data;

modulating one or more Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols of a preamble with the signalling data and modulating payloaddata onto part of the OFDM symbols of the preamble and payload OFDMsymbols;

frequency interleaving the signalling data and payload data of the OFDMsymbols of the preamble and conditionally frequency interleaving thepayload data of the payload OFDM symbols;

transmitting the OFDM symbols of the preamble and carrying thesignalling data of the preamble and the payload OFDM symbols, whereinthe signalling data includes an indication of whether or not the payloaddata of the payload OFDM symbols are frequency interleaved.

Ninth further embodiments of the disclosure are defined by the followingnumbered clauses:

1. A receiver configured to recover payload data from OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) representing time-divided frame,the receiver comprising circuitry configured to:

detect a plurality of bootstrap symbols of the time divided frame andfrom a first bootstrap symbol synchronize the circuitry with a frequencyband;

detect a plurality of preamble OFDM symbols and configured to recoversignalling data therefrom using parameters detected from the pluralityof bootstrap symbols, the plurality of preamble OFDM symbols havingmodulated thereon fixed length signalling data and variable lengthsignalling data, the fixed length signalling data including anindication of the amount of variable length signalling data modulated onthe preamble OFDM symbols; and

use the detected signalling data including an indication of the amountof variable length signalling data to recover the payload data from aplurality of subframes of the time-divided frame.

2. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the amount of variablelength signalling in the fixed length signalling is a number of bits.

3. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the amount of variablelength signalling is sufficient for the circuitry to recover payloaddata from all of the plurality of subframes from the time-divided frame.

4. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the fixed lengthsignalling data is modulated on part of the first of the plurality ofpreamble OFDM symbols.

5. The receiver as defined in Clause 4, wherein the fixed lengthsignalling data is modulated on less than the entirety of the usefulsubcarriers of the first of the plurality of preamble OFDM symbols.

6. The receiver as defined in Clause 4, wherein the variable lengthsignalling data is modulated on a remaining part of the first of theplurality of preamble OFDM symbols and at least one other of theplurality of preamble OFDM symbols.

7. The receiver as defined in Clause 4, comprising interleaver circuitryconfigured to interleave the variable length signalling data across partof the first of the plurality of preamble OFDM symbols and at least oneother of the plurality of preamble OFDM symbols.8. The receiver as defined in Clause 7, wherein the interleavercircuitry is configured not to interleave the fixed length signallingacross multiple of the plurality of preamble OFDM symbols.9. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the fixed lengthsignalling data includes an indication of the number of preamble OFDMsymbols of the time-divided frame and the circuitry is configured to theuse the indication of the number of preamble OFDM symbols to detect thevariable length signalling data and therefrom the payload data.10. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, being configured to receive atelevision signal.11. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, being an ATSC televisionreceiver.12. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, further comprising a display towhich the detected payload data is output.13. A method for recovering payload data from Orthogonal FrequencyDivision Multiplexed (OFDM) representing time-divided frame, the methodcomprising:

detecting a plurality of bootstrap symbols of the time divided frame andfrom a first bootstrap symbol synchronizing the receiver circuitry witha frequency band;

detecting a plurality of preamble OFDM symbols and recovering signallingdata therefrom using parameters detected from the plurality of bootstrapsymbols, the plurality of preamble OFDM symbols having modulated thereonfixed length signalling data and variable length signalling data, thefixed length signalling data including an indication of the amount ofvariable length signalling data modulated on the preamble OFDM symbols;and

using the detected signalling data including an indication of the amountof variable length signalling data to recover the payload data from aplurality of subframes of the time-divided frame.

14. The method as defined in Clause 13 wherein the fixed lengthsignalling data has been modulated on less than the entirety of theuseful subcarriers of the first of the plurality of preamble OFDMsymbols; and

the variable length signalling data has been modulated on a remainingpart of the first of the plurality of preamble OFDM symbols and at leastone other of the plurality of preamble OFDM symbols.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer programinstructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer toperform the method of clause 13.

16. A transmitter configured to convey payload data as OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) representing a time-divided frame,the transmitter comprising circuitry comprising:

frame builder circuitry configured to receive signalling data and toform the signalling data into a time-divided frame with a bootstrapsignal comprising a plurality of bootstrap symbols including a firstbootstrap symbol which is a synchronization symbol and to form payloaddata into a plurality of subframes;

a modulator configured to modulate one or more Orthogonal FrequencyDivision Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols of a preamble with the signallingdata, the signalling data comprising fixed length signalling data andvariable length signalling data, the fixed length signalling dataincluding an indication of the amount of variable length signalling datamodulated on the preamble OFDM symbols;

a transmission circuit for transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying thesignalling data of the preamble, plurality of bootstrap symbols theplurality of subframes.

17. A method for conveying payload data as Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexed (OFDM) representing a time-divided frame, the methodcomprising:

receiving signalling data and forming the signalling data into atime-divided frame with a bootstrap signal comprising a plurality ofbootstrap symbols including a first bootstrap symbol which is asynchronization symbol and forming payload data into a plurality ofsubframes;

modulating one or more Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols of a preamble with the signalling data, the signalling datacomprising fixed length signalling data and variable length signallingdata, the fixed length signalling data including an indication of theamount of variable length signalling data modulated on the preamble OFDMsymbols;

transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying the signalling data of thepreamble, the plurality of bootstrap symbols and the plurality ofsubframes.

Tenth further embodiments of the disclosure are defined by the followingnumbered clauses:

1. A receiver comprising:

radio frequency demodulation circuitry configured to detect a receivedsignal comprising Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols in one or more of a plurality of time divided frames, each frameincluding a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and a plurality ofsubframes each of which carries payload data modulated on a plurality ofsecond OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one or more OFDMsymbols modulated with signalling data, wherein the Fast FourierTransform (FFT) size of the second OFDM symbols of one of the pluralityof subframes is different to the FFT size of the second OFDM symbols ofat least another of the subframes within a time-divided frame andwherein the FFT size of second OFDM symbols of the first subframearranged in time in the time-divided frame is smaller than the FFT sizeof the second OFDM symbols of the at least another subframe; and

demodulator circuitry configured to detect the signalling data from theOFDM symbols of the preamble signal and to use the signalling data todetect the payload data modulated on the second OFDM symbols of thefirst of the subframes.

2. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the demodulator isfurther configured to detect the at least another of the subframes usingthe signalling data.

3. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the FFT size of the oneor more OFDM symbols modulated with the signalling data is the same asthe FFT size of the second OFDM symbols of the first of the subframes.

4. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being configured to receive atelevision signal.

5. The receiver as defined in Clause 1 being an ATSC televisionreceiver.

6. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, further comprising a display towhich the detected payload data is output.

7. A mobile television receiver comprising the receiver as defined inClause 1, wherein the radio frequency demodulation circuitry isconfigured detect payload data from the subframes comprising second OFDMsymbols having the smallest FFT size of the subframes included in thesaid time-divided frame.8. A mobile television receiver comprising the receiver as defined inClause 1, wherein the radio frequency demodulation circuitry isconfigured detect payload data from the first of the subframescomprising second OFDM symbols included in the said time-divided frame.9. A mobile television receiver comprising the receiver as defined inClause 1, wherein the demodulation circuitry is configured detect one ormore OFDM symbols modulated with signalling data and the payload datafrom the first of the subframes comprising second OFDM symbols includedin the said time-divided frame.10. The mobile television receiver as defined in Clause 9, wherein thedemodulator circuitry is configured to further detect any of the atleast another subframes which are targeted for mobile televisionreception.11. A method comprising:

detecting a received signal comprising Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexed (OFDM) symbols in one or more of a plurality of time dividedframes, each frame including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes each of which carries payload data modulated on aplurality of second OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one ormore OFDM symbols modulated with signalling data, wherein the FastFourier Transform (FFT) size of the second OFDM symbols of one of theplurality of subframes is different to the FFT size of the second OFDMsymbols of at least another of the subframes within a time-divided frameand wherein the FFT size of second OFDM symbols of the first subframearranged in time in the time-divided frame is smaller than the FFT sizeof the second OFDM symbols of the at least another subframe; and

detecting the signalling data from the OFDM symbols of the preamblesignal and using the signalling data to detect the payload datamodulated on the second OFDM symbols of the first of the subframes.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer programinstructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer toperform the method of clause 11.

13. A transmitter for transmitting payload data using OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the transmittercomprising

a frame builder configured to receive the payload data and signallingdata and to form the payload data with the signalling data into aplurality of time divided frames for transmission, each of the timedivided frames including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes,

a modulator configured to modulate one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble with the signalling data and to modulate a plurality of secondOFDM symbols with the payload data for transmission in the subframeswherein the FFT size of the second OFDM symbols of one of the pluralityof subframes is different to the FFT size of the second OFDM symbols ofat least another of the subframes within a time-divided frame andwherein the FFT size of OFDM symbols of the first subframe arranged intime in the time-divided frame is smaller than the FFT size of OFDMsymbols of the at least another subframe; and

a transmission circuit for transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying thesignalling data of the preamble and the payload data in the plurality ofsubframes.

14. A method comprising

receiving payload data and signalling data and forming the payload datawith the signalling data into a plurality of time divided frames fortransmission, each of the time divided frames including a bootstrapsignal, a preamble signal and a plurality of subframes,

a modulator configured to modulate one or more Orthogonal FrequencyDivision Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols of the preamble with the signallingdata and to modulate a plurality of second OFDM symbols with the payloaddata for transmission in the subframes wherein the FFT size of thesecond OFDM symbols of one of the plurality of subframes is different tothe FFT size of the second OFDM symbols of at least another of thesubframes within a time-divided frame and wherein the FFT size of OFDMsymbols of the first subframe arranged in time in the time-divided frameis smaller than the FFT size of OFDM symbols of the at least anothersubframe; and

transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying the signalling data of thepreamble and the payload data in the plurality of subframes.

Eleventh further embodiments of the disclosure are defined by thefollowing numbered clauses:

1. A receiver comprising:

radio frequency demodulation circuitry configured to detect a receivedsignal comprising Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols in one or more of a plurality of time divided frames, each frameincluding a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and a plurality ofsubframes each of which carries payload data modulated on a plurality ofsecond OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one or more OFDMsymbols modulated with signalling data, a first subframe following alast of the preamble OFDM symbols comprising a subframe boundary symbolonly at the end of the subframe, and wherein subsequent subframes in thetime-divided frame comprise subframe boundary symbols at subframe startand subframe end; and

demodulator circuitry configured to detect the signalling data from theOFDM symbols of the preamble signal and to use the signalling data todetect the payload data modulated on the second OFDM symbols of thefirst of the subframes.

2. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein pilots included in thesubframe boundary symbols have a denser distribution that pilots inother second OFDM symbols of the subframes modulated with payload data.

3. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the last of the preambleOFDM symbols of a time-divided frame acts as a subframe boundary symbolfor the first of the subframes of the time-divided frame.

4. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the Fast Fouriertransform (FFT) size of the one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble isthe same FFT size as for both of the plurality of second OFDM symbolsmodulated with payload data and subframe boundary symbol in the first ofthe subframes.5. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the Fast Fouriertransform (FFT) size of the boundary symbols of a respective subframe isthe same size as the FFT size of the plurality of OFDM symbols modulatedwith payload data for the said respective subframe.6. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein a pilot pattern onsub-carriers of one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble corresponds tothe scattered pilot pattern of sub-carriers on the plurality of OFDMsymbols modulated with payload data and subframe boundary symbol in thefirst of the subframes.7. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein a pilot distributiondisplacement value on sub-carriers of one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble is the same as the pilot distribution displacement value of thescattered pilot pattern on sub-carriers of the plurality of OFDM symbolsmodulated with payload data and subframe boundary symbol in the first ofthe subframes8. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the subframe boundarysymbols comprise pilots and further comprise cells set to zero tobalance the average power of the sub-frame boundary symbols.9. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, being configured to receive atelevision signal.10. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, being an ATSC televisionreceiver.11. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, further comprising a display towhich the detected payload data is output.12. A method comprising:detecting a received signal comprising Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexed (OFDM) symbols in one or more of a plurality of time dividedframes, each frame including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes each of which carries payload data modulated on aplurality of second OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one ormore OFDM symbols modulated with signalling data, a first subframefollowing a last of the preamble OFDM symbols comprising a subframeboundary symbol only at the end of the subframe and wherein subsequentsubframes in the time-divided frame comprise subframe boundary symbolsat subframe start and subframe end; anddetecting the signalling data from the OFDM symbols of the preamblesignal and using the signalling data to detect the payload datamodulated on the second OFDM symbols of the first of the subframes.13. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer programinstructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer toperform the method of clause 12.14. A transmitter for transmitting payload data using OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the transmittercomprisinga frame builder configured to receive the payload data and signallingdata and to form the payload data with the signalling data into aplurality of time divided frames for transmission, each of the timedivided frames including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes,

a modulator configured to modulate one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble with the signalling data and to modulate a plurality of secondOFDM symbols with the payload data for transmission in the subframeswherein a first subframe following a last of the preamble OFDM symbolscomprises a subframe boundary symbols only at the end of the subframeand wherein subsequent subframes in the time divided frame comprisesubframe boundary symbols at subframe start and subframe end; and

a transmission circuit for transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying thesignalling data of the preamble signal, and the payload data andsubframe boundary symbols in the plurality of subframes.

15. A method comprising

a frame builder configured to receive the payload data and signallingdata and to form the payload data with the signalling data into aplurality of time divided frames for transmission, each of the timedivided frames including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes,

a modulator configured to modulate one or more Orthogonal FrequencyDivision Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols of the preamble with the signallingdata and to modulate a plurality of second OFDM symbols with the payloaddata for transmission in the subframes wherein a first subframefollowing a last of the preamble OFDM symbols comprises a subframeboundary symbols only at the end of the subframe and wherein subsequentsubframes in the time divided frame comprise subframe boundary symbolsat subframe start and subframe end; and

transmitting the OFDM symbols carrying the signalling data of thepreamble signal, and the payload data and subframe boundary symbols inthe plurality of subframes.

Twelfth further embodiments of the disclosure are defined by thefollowing numbered clauses:

1. A receiver comprising:

radio frequency demodulation circuitry configured to detect a receivedsignal comprising Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM)symbols in one or more of a plurality of time divided frames, each frameincluding a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and a plurality ofsubframes each of which carries payload data modulated on a plurality ofsecond OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one or more OFDMsymbols modulated with signalling data and each of the one or moresecond OFDM symbols of the subframe includes scattered pilotsub-carriers at locations in the second OFDM symbols according to apredetermined pattern, the scattered pilot sub-carriers in each secondOFDM symbol being at locations displaced with respect to a sub-carrierin a previous second OFDM symbol by a predetermined value, at least onesubframe including at least one subframe boundary OFDM symbol whichincludes pilot sub-carrier symbols at sub-carrier locationscorresponding to any sub-carrier location at which a scattered pilotsub-carrier is transmitted in any of the second OFDM symbols of the atleast one subframe, and

demodulator circuitry configured to detect the signalling data from theOFDM symbols of the preamble signal and to use the signalling data todetect the payload data modulated on the second OFDM symbols of thefirst of the subframes.

2. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the predetermined valueis a Dx value for a scattered pilot pattern of a sub frame.

3. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the subframe boundaryincludes a denser distribution of pilot sub-carriers than another of thesecond OFDM symbols of the at least one subframe.

4. The receiver as defined in Clause 3, wherein the denser distributionis spaced by a Dx value which is the same as the distribution of pilotsof the scattered pilot pattern of the second OFDM symbols of the atleast one subframe.

5. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the at least onesubframe boundary OFDM symbol is a subframe start symbol transmitted intime at the beginning of a subframe.

6. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the at least onesubframe boundary OFDM symbol is a subframe closing symbol transmittedin time at the end of a subframe.

7. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the said subframe is thelast subframe in time of a plurality of subframes of the timedivided-frame.

8. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the at least onesubframe boundary OFDM symbol is only one subframe boundary OFDM symboland is the only subframe boundary OFDM symbol of a time-divided frame.

9. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein a subframe includes twosubframe boundary symbols transmitted respectively in time at beginningand end of a subframe.

10. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, wherein the sub-frame boundarysymbols comprise pilots and further comprise cells set to zero whichbalance the average power of the sub-frame boundary symbols.

11. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, being configured to receive atelevision signal.

12. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, being an ATSC televisionreceiver.

13. The receiver as defined in Clause 1, further comprising a display towhich the detected.

14. A method comprising:

detecting a received signal comprising Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexed (OFDM) symbols in one or more of a plurality of time dividedframes, each frame including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes each of which carries payload data modulated on aplurality of second OFDM symbols, the preamble signal comprising one ormore OFDM symbols modulated with signalling data, and each of the one ormore second OFDM symbols of the subframe includes scattered pilotsub-carriers at locations in the second OFDM symbols according to apredetermined pattern, the scattered pilot sub-carriers in each secondOFDM symbol being at locations displaced with respect to a sub-carrierin a previous second OFDM symbol by a predetermined value, at least onesubframe including at least one subframe boundary OFDM symbol whichincludes pilot sub-carrier symbols at sub-carrier locationscorresponding to any sub-carrier location at which a scattered pilotsub-carrier is transmitted in any of the second OFDM symbols of the atleast one subframe, and

detecting the signalling data from the OFDM symbols of the preamblesignal and using the signalling data to detect the payload datamodulated on the second OFDM symbols of the first of the subframes.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer programinstructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer toperform the method of clause 14.

16. A transmitter for transmitting payload data using OrthogonalFrequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols, the transmittercomprising:

a frame builder configured to receive the payload data and signallingdata and to form the payload data with the signalling data into aplurality of time divided frames for transmission, each of the timedivided frames including a bootstrap signal, a preamble signal and aplurality of subframes;

a modulator configured to modulate one or more OFDM symbols of thepreamble with the signalling data and to modulate a plurality of secondOFDM symbols with the payload data for transmission in each of thesubframes wherein the modulator is configured with the frame builder togenerate, for each subframe, one or more second OFDM symbols carryingthe payload data, and each of the one or more second OFDM symbols of thesubframe includes scattered pilot sub-carriers at locations in thesecond OFDM symbols according to a predetermined pattern, the scatteredpilot sub-carriers being transmitted in each second OFDM symbol atlocations displaced with respect to a sub-carrier in a previous secondOFDM symbol by a predetermined value, at least one subframe including atleast one subframe boundary OFDM symbol which includes pilot sub-carriersymbols at sub-carrier locations corresponding to any sub-carrierlocation at which a scattered pilot sub-carrier is transmitted in any ofthe second OFDM symbols of the at least one subframe, and

a transmission circuit for transmitting the OFDM symbols of the preamblecarrying the signalling data, and the payload data and subframe boundarysymbol in the at least one subframes.

17. A method comprising

receiving payload data and signalling data and forming the payload datawith the signalling data into a plurality of time divided frames fortransmission, each of the time divided frames including a bootstrapsignal, a preamble signal and a plurality of subframes,

modulating one or more OFDM symbols of the preamble with the signallingdata and to modulate a plurality of second OFDM symbols with the payloaddata for transmission in each of the subframes wherein the modulator isconfigured with the frame builder to generate, for each subframe, one ormore second OFDM symbols carrying the payload data, and each of the oneor more second OFDM symbols of the subframe includes scattered pilotsub-carriers at locations in the second OFDM symbols according to apredetermined pattern, the scattered pilot sub-carriers beingtransmitted in each second OFDM symbol at locations displaced withrespect to a sub-carrier in a previous second OFDM symbol by apredetermined value, at least one subframe including at least onesubframe boundary OFDM symbol which includes pilot sub-carrier symbolsat sub-carrier locations corresponding to any sub-carrier location atwhich a scattered pilot sub-carrier is transmitted in any of the secondOFDM symbols of the at least one subframe, and

transmitting the OFDM symbols of the preamble carrying the signallingdata, and the payload data.

Various further aspects and features of the present technique aredefined in the appended clauses and various combinations of the featuresof the dependent clauses may be made with those of the independentclauses other than the specific combinations recited for the clausedependency. Modifications may also be made to the embodimentshereinbefore described without departing from the scope of the presenttechnique. For instance, processing elements of embodiments may beimplemented in hardware, software, and logical or analogue circuitry.Furthermore, although a feature may appear to be described in connectionwith particular embodiments, one skilled in the art would recognise thatvarious features of the described embodiments may be combined inaccordance with the present technique.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A receiver configured to recover payloaddata from signal representing a time divided frame comprising: circuitryconfigured to: detect preamble Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed(OFDM) symbols and recover signalling data therefrom by frequencydeinterleaving the preamble OFDM symbols; and recover, using thesignalling data, payload data from both a part of the preamble OFDMsymbols and a subframe of the time divided frame, the signalling dataindicating that the payload data in the subframe is not frequencyinterleaved, wherein the part of the preamble OFDM symbols includes apreamble OFDM symbol on which both of part of variable length signallingdata and payload data have been modulated.
 2. The receiver as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising frequency deinterleaver circuitry configuredto deinterleave signalling data modulated on preamble OFDM symbols andfurther configured to deinterleave payload data modulated on payloadOFDM symbols in a subframe based on the signalling data.
 3. The receiveras defined in claim 2, wherein the frequency deinterleaver circuitry isconfigured not to deinterleave payload data modulated on payload OFDMsymbols in a subframe based on the signalling data.
 4. The receiver asreceiver as defined in claim 1, wherein a first of the preamble OFDMsymbols has fixed length signalling data modulated thereon.
 5. Thereceiver as receiver as defined in claim 4, wherein the fixed lengthsignalling data includes an indication of a number of preamble OFDMsymbols.
 6. The receiver as defined in claim 1, being configured toreceive and decode a television signal.
 7. The receiver as defined inclaim 1, being an ATSC television receiver.
 8. The receiver as definedin claim 1, further comprising a display to which the payload data isoutput.
 9. A method for recovering payload data from a signalrepresenting a time divided frame, the method comprising: detectingpreamble Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols andrecovering signalling data therefrom by frequency deinterleaving thepreamble OFDM symbols; and recovering by circuitry, using the signallingdata, payload data from both a part of the preamble OFDM symbols and asubframe of the time divided frame, the signalling data indicating thatthe payload data in the subframe is not frequency interleaved, whereinthe part of the preamble OFDM symbols includes a preamble OFDM symbol onwhich both of part of variable length signalling data and payload datahave been modulated.
 10. The method as defined in claim 9, comprising:deinterleaving signalling data modulated on preamble OFDM symbols; anddeinterleaving payload data modulated on payload OFDM symbols in asubframe based on the signalling data.
 11. A method for recoveringpayload data from a signal representing a time divided frame, the methodcomprising: detecting preamble Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed(OFDM) symbols and recovering signalling data therefrom by frequencydeinterleaving the preamble OFDM symbols; recovering by circuitry, usingthe signalling data, payload data from both a part of the preamble OFDMsymbols and a subframe of the time divided frame, the signalling dataindicating that the payload data in the subframe is not frequencyinterleaved; deinterleaving signalling data modulated on preamble OFDMsymbols; and configuring frequency interleaver circuitry either todeinterleave payload data modulated on payload OFDM symbols in asubframe based on the signalling data or inhibit the frequencyinterleaver circuitry, the configuring being based on the signallingdata.
 12. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computerprogram instructions, which when executed by a computer causes thecomputer to perform the method of claim
 9. 13. A non-transitory computerreadable medium including computer program instructions, which whenexecuted by a computer causes the computer to perform the method ofclaim
 11. 14. A receiver configured to recover payload data from signalrepresenting a time divided frame comprising: circuitry configured to:detect preamble Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbolsand recover signalling data therefrom by frequency deinterleaving thepreamble OFDM symbols; recover, using the signalling data, payload datafrom both a part of the preamble OFDM symbols and a subframe of the timedivided frame, the signalling data indicating that the payload data inthe subframe is not frequency interleaved; and deinterleave signallingdata modulated on preamble OFDM symbols; and configure frequencyinterleaver circuitry either to deinterleave payload data modulated onpayload OFDM symbols in a subframe based on the signalling data orinhibit the frequency interleaver circuitry, the configuring being basedon the signalling data.
 15. The receiver as defined in claim 14, beingconfigured to receive and decode a television signal.
 16. The receiveras defined in claim 14, being an ATSC television receiver.
 17. Thereceiver as defined in claim 14, further comprising a display to whichthe payload data is output.